Philippine colonial churches

Colonial Churches in the Philippines
(Also Identified as National Cultural Treasures)
Done by: Sugar Ruizo

INTRODUCTION
The Philippines is home to hundreds of centuries-old
Spanish colonial churches. Built at the height of Spanish
Influence in the archipelago, these churches still stand out from
the country’s modern cityscapes and continue to play a key role
in the spiritual development of the country’s 58 million
Catholics. Although these churches have remained largely intact
for centuries , the ravages of population and urban development
have taken their toll on these edifices.

• San Carlos Borromeo
Mahatao, Batanes
This 19th century church , built by Dominican order, includes a stone beaterrio, or
house for laywomen , as well as other structures that served as guides for offshore fishermen to
find their way home

• San Carlos Borromeo Church
Architectural features
The church is made of stone and lime, common building
materials in Batanes.
An espadaña belfry is located on top of
the facade's pediment with one of its bells dated 1874.
The church has uneven wall thickness due to addition of step
buttresses and even buttress walls.
Its interiors, decorated in Baroque style, showcase floral designs
sunburst ornaments painted in polychrome and gilt which lends a
golden glow among the statuary.
 The second floor of the convent is not the typical volada or
cantilevered gallery for convents in the Philippines but an open
extended deck.

• San Carlos Borromeo Church

St. Andrew the Apostle Church: Bacarra ,Ilocos Norte
The Parish church of St Andrew the Apostle was first constructed at
the end of the 16th century by the Augustinians but was destroyed by
earthquakes in 1700s. The present structure was built by Fr. Juan Martin in
the mid 19th century.

 Rectangular in shape
Supported by large buttresses
 Noteworthy are its baptismal area , and its dome-like
brick roofing.
 an unaltered rectangular shaped brick deep
well with stairs.

San Agustin Paoay, Ilocos Norte
Construction on this church began in 1694 and was completed in
the early 17th century.
Architect: Father Antonio Estavillo

 The most striking feature of Paoay Church is the 24 huge buttresses of
about 1.67 metres (5.5 ft) thick at the sides and back of the church building.
 Its walls are made of large coral stones on the lower part and bricks at the
upper levels
The stone facade appear as massive pediment rising from the ground and is
built leaning towards the front. Square pilasters and stringed cornices divide
the facade vertically and horizontally respectively. Its bottom part is plain.
 Gothic features are also present through the use of finials while the
triangular pediment shows Chinese elements and Oriental strokes.
 Adjacent to the facade is a three-storey coral bell tower constructed
separately from the church building on the right side resembling a pagoda. It
was in 1793 when the cornerstone of the bell tower was laid.

San Guillermo Ermitaño: Magsingal, Ilocus Sur

 The pulpit and retablo adorning the altar of this church
are of the Baroque style.
 The side-walls are reinforced by steep buttresses
reminiscent of similar structures found on the exterior of
European Gothic churches.

San Reymundo De Peñaforte: Cagayan, Rizal
 Archdiocese in Tugeugarao
 17th century-Dominican-built

San Reymundo De Peñaforte: Cagayan, Rizal

Santa Catalina de Alejandria: Tayum, Abra
Built by secular clergy in 19th century, this church features palayok
art motifs.

 The church is predominantly Baroque in style
 Its first level is devoid of any embellishment or
fenestration save for the main semicircular arched
portal and the wave-like cornices and rounded, high-
relief pilasters.
To the right of the façade stands the four-
tiered bell tower with its rectangular base and
octagonal upper levels.
 The curved pediment ends smoothly into two
large volutes which seat beside two, large, urn-
like finials.

San Matias: Tumauini, Isabela
Built by the Domincans in 1980’s. It may be the considered as the
best and most artistic brick structure in the Philippines.
Architect: Fr. Domingo Forto

 Tumauini is an ultra-baroque church known for its extensive use of
red bricks on its exterior and interior ornamentations. Brick was used
due to lack of good quality stones in the area.
 A closer look at the brick façade shows numbers and dates for the
correct sequence of the bricks in Forto's design.
 The façade is flanked by two pseudo-Corinthian columns and niches,
one located above the entrance and the two remaining larger niches on
each side of the columns.
 The church's circular pediment is unique relative to all other
churches built during the Spanish Era

 Attached to the church's façade is a unique cylindrical belfry
built in 1805.It is the only known Spanish colonial era cylindrical
tower in the country. The tiered belfry notably resembles
a wedding cake.
The bell housed within has bullet holes but was never recast.
 The ruins of the church's convento (clergy house) are
located on the gospel side of the church.

La Asuncion de la Nuestra Señora : Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur
The parish of Santa Maria started as a chapel-of-ease (visita) of Narvacan,
its neighbouring town to the north, in 1567. The influx of the settlers after the full
conquest of the Ilocos Region by the Spaniards greatly increased the population of
Santa Maria.

 The church brick façade has one large portal with three windows.
The recessed arched entrance is flanked by a pair of rectangular
pilaster dividing the façade into three well-defined planes.
 The church measures about 99 meters (325 ft) long and 22.7 meters
(74 ft) wide.
 The church follows the standard Philippine layout with
the facade fronting a long single nave rectangular
building.
 The bell tower is freestanding, constructed separate from the church
and not parallel to the facade but situated about a third of the wall
from the front.

Santa Catalina de Alejandria: Luna, La Union
Since 1587, Namacpacan was a visita of Purao (presently known
as Balaoan). In November 25, 1690, the town was founded and a parish under the
advocacy of Saint Catherine of Alexandria was canonically erected. The first church
of Namacpacan was built under the supervision of Father Mateo Bustillos, the
parish priest from 1695 to 1697.

 Namacpacan Church is classified as an Earthquake
Baroque church with thick walls and buttresses connected to a
brick exterior stairway of different designs and shapes.
 A ceremonial archway or capilla possa can be found at the
church's entrance
 Its 1872 white and yellow facade falls under the Baroque style
with the presence of rounded pediments.
 Three sets of two pairs of engaged columns and two sets of
single columns along with twin belfries adorning the façade.
 Its convento is now used as a school

San Vicente Ferrer Dupax, Nueva Visacaya
This Dominican Church was established in the late 18th century. Features
baptistery and narthex pillars covered with finely carved stucco. The church
convent’s retains some features from its violent past, such as slits on the outer
walls which were used by archers to defend against attacks

San Vicente Ferrer Dupax, Nueva Visacaya

San Pedro y San Pablo: Calaciao, Pangasinan (1588)
The church has survived several earthquakes and remains among the province’s
best preserved church complexes despite restoration work on some parts.

 Its unique architectural design reflects the Spanish and Latin American
architecture integration of indigenous Philippines works of art with
Chinese style fusion
 Its massive bricks or ladrillo had been designed to withstand
revolts and rebellions, due to its fortresses facade.
 Its massive retablo mayor is massive and complex
woodwork is seen at the back

San Andres: Mansiloc, Zambales
The exact date of construction of the present coral stone church cannot be traced
although some records tell that a certain Father Francisco de San Guillermo
requested for the construction of the church and convent in 1616 using materials
that were also used in the construction of a fortification.

 The façade of the church is predominantly of Barn-style Baroque with
Neo-classic features.
 The front is divided into the triangular pediment, two horizontal
sections and three vertical ones with an extended left portion forming the
bell tower.
 It features saints’ niches on the first level, rectangular windows on the
second and an elaborately carved niche of the town’s patron saint and
carving of geometric shapes and medallions on the pediment.
 Triglyphs decorate the architrave between the second level and the
pediment, giving the church a classical appearance. The belfry is
designed like a circular templete surmounted with a lantern and a cross

Santiago Apostol: Betis, Pampanga
The baroque-inspired Betis Church was built around 1660 under Father José de la
Cruz. The preliminary structure was made out of light materials which was
composed mainly of wood and stucco. Fire broke out within the church several
times due to these light materials so it was finally built with concrete materials in
1770.

 The unique design of Betis Church reflects the integration of Spanish
and Latin American architecture to indigenous architecture, including
elements of Oriental style during the Spanish colonial era.
 The retablo, a classic altar, is ornately decorated with
carved designs
 The religious frescoes in the ceiling and murals on the wall with
its intricate sculpture and paintings in gold dust are reminiscent of
the Renaissance age of European Art. One can behold the majesty
of its ceiling, walls and the altar from the aisle near the main door

Pulpit

Nuestra Señora De los Desamparados: Sta. Ana, Manila
The Spaniards established settlements in Santa Ana that served as the seat of
Namayan, with the area awarded to the Franciscan missionaries. They were the
first to establish a mission beyond the walls of Intramuros, the Spanish colonial
seat of power in Manila, in 1578. The church as it stands today was first built in
1720 and is known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned (Nuestra
Senora de los Desamparados).

Nuestra Señora De los Desamparados: Sta. Ana, Manila

San Ildefonso: Tanay Rizal
In 1678, Fr. Pedro de Espallargas initiated the building of a stone church and the
first church was completed in 1680 through the contributions of churchgoers and
devotees of Purísima Concepción. The first mass was celebrated on April 20, 1680.

San Ildefonso: Tanay Rizal
 This church features five-panel retablo done in Rococo Style,
As well as Via Crucis with remarkable indigenous motifs
 The carvings are depicted to have Malay features as
evidenced by the brown skin of the natives and their squat
figures, all of which are believed to have created by native
Tanay artists. Some distinct depictions are borrowed from
the native culture such as the "Tambuli" made of carabao
and the bolo instead of the typical Roman sword.

La Inmaculada Concepcion: Intramuros, Manila
The only church within Intramurous to survive the destruction of World War 2.
The cathedral was originally a parish church owned and governed by
the Archdiocese of Mexico in 1571, until it became a separate diocese on 6
February 1579 upon the issuance of the papal bull, Illius Fulti Praesido by Pope
Gregory XIII.

La Inmaculada Concepcion: Intramuros, Manila
 This structure features tromped l’oeil paintings
in its interior as well as the earliest retablo, pulpit,
choir, lactern and chior stalls.
 The church also features a crypt house the
remains of Manila’s founder, Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi , Filipinio patriot and artist Juan Luna,
And other prominent historical personages.

La Inmaculada Concepcion (Manila Cathedral)

La Asuncion de la Nuestra Señora: Maragondon Cavite

 This Augustinian Recollect church features intricate
galleon and floral motifs in its pulpit and church doors,
which dates from the Jesuits.
 Bell tower and lower portion is
made up of river stones.
 The church also features a distinctive horeshoe-
shaped communion rail

La Inmaculada Concepcion: Balayan, Batangas
In 1575 the Augustinians made Balayan a visita of Bombon, now Taal. Balayan
originally comprised what are now the independent towns and parishes of
Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Tuy, and Calaca. In 1578, however, this territory was
turned over to the Franciscans who in turn passed Balayan to the Jesuits in
1591.

 Planks of narra were used for the floor of the nave, while
blue and white tiles were fitted to the main altar.
 An extension was added behind the church to
serve as an ante sacristy in 1878.
 The decorative iron grilles were put around
the atrium in 1887. The camapanario was
repaired in 1892 with bricks instead of stones
used for the upper second and third stories

Basilica of San Michael Arcangel: Tayabas, Quezon
The Catholic community of Tayabas was established in 1578 by Franciscan priests
Fray Juán Portocarrero de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa de San José,
known as the Apostles of Laguna and Tayabas.In 1580, the town of Tayabas was
established as a parish with St. Michael the Archangel as its designated patron
saint in 1580.

 The church at Tayabas is generally considered to
be Baroque architecture. It is included in a list of
more than 30 churches declared National Cultural
Treasures by the National Museum of the
Philippines.
 The influence of Chinese architecture in Tayabas
is present in the design of Tayabas Basilica. Lion
statues in front of the building show a link to the
influence of Chinese traders before the Spanish
colonial era. Cherubs in stone reliefs playing the
lute, trombone, drum and trumpet can be seen in
the church patio.
 Tayabas Basilica has a unique floor plan that
resembles a key.

 Tayabas Basilica's interior is built in the Neo-Classical
style with seven altars. An image of the Nuestra Señora de los
Angeles ("Our Lady of Angels") stands in the central retablo of
the altar.
 The basilica's 18th century clock was erected in early 1900
on the belfry; it is one of the oldest and largest church clocks
in Asia. The clock is 0.5 m (1.6 ft) tall and has a circumference
of 42 cm (1.38 ft). The hour and minute hands are 0.5 m
(1.6 ft) and 62 cm (2.03 ft) long respectively.

Nuestra Señora dela Porteria: Daraga, Albay
The present church of Daraga was built under the Franciscan priests in
1773.[2] Built at the time that Daraga was a visita of Cagsawa, the church was
erected atop a hill in barangay Santa Maria overlooking the Mayon Volcano.

 The church is known for its Churrigueresque architectural style
in its façade, a fine example of Baroque architecture. The façade
and its walls are made out of volcanic rocks, which are rich in the
area.The white façade is the result of a coating of lime for
protection from deterioration.
 It is one of the few churches in the country that has four
spiral columns known as Solomonic
columns or salomónicas.The four columns bear round
medallions, each with carved images of the four Evangelists.
 The octagonal belltower, located on the left side of
the church, has carved images of the twelve apostles
distributed in the base's six faces.The tower has four
levels, each tapered upwards and topped with a dome
and cross.

San Bautista: Tabaco, Albay
Tabaco church was established as a visita by the Franciscans under the patronage
of Saint John the Baptist in 1587. It was separated from Cagsaua in 1616 when
Father Pedro de Alcareso was named as parish priest.

San Bautista: Tabaco, Albay
The church is built out of dark volcanic soil and stones found
in the area.
 One unusual characteristic of the church is the presence
of mason's marks on stones used for the construction of the church
building, a rare feature in the Philippines
 Its unusual floor plan contains compartments for which
there is currently no explanation.
 It is known for its beautiful and bell tower
embedded with rococo designs.

Cathedral de San Jose: Romblon, Romblon

 The Interior of this church, constructed by the
Augustinian Recollects, features Baroque-style retablos.
 Erected in 1974, the diocese has experienced no
jurisdictional changes, and is a suffragan of
the Archdiocese of Capiz.

Santa Monica: Pan-ay, Capiz
The missionaries who went with the expeditions of the would-be Spanish
colonizers were the Augustinian friars. They accomplished many significant firsts in
the history of the Philippines. It was they who fanned out from Cebu to the other
islands of the archipelago, including Panay.

Santa Monica: Pan-ay, Capiz
 The church, built in the Filipino Colonial Baroque style with Neo-
Classical influence, is a grand structure of coral stone that is 70
meters long, 25 meters wide and 18 meters high.
 The walls are 3 meters (or about 10 feet) thick and the floor is
covered with marble.
 Its structure is shaped in the form of a Latin cross with one
large central altar and four lateral ones, each fitted with
gorgeously decorated and gilded retablos of hardwood,
decorated with various polychrome statues of high artistic
quality.

Miagao was formerly a visita of Oton until 1580, Tigbauan until 1592, San
Joaquin until 1703 and Guimbal until 1731.It became an independent parish of the
Augustinians in 1731 under the advocacy of Saint Thomas of Villanova.
Santo Tomas de Villanueva: Miag-ao, Iloilo

The church's over-all architectural style falls under the Baroque
Romanesque architectural style.
Its ochre color is due to the materials used in constructing the
church, adobe, egg, coral and limestone.
The church's foundation is 6 meters deep
and the massive stone walls at 1.5 meters thick
are intensified through the use of 4 meter thick
flying buttresses as protection to the Moro
invaders as stipulated under Royal Decree 111 of
1573 (Law of the Indies).

San Joaquin: Iloilo

The main church in town, a Roman Catholic parish was built in
1869 by Spanish priest Reverend Tomas Santaren
The church is unique among those in the Philippines
for its large pediment featuring a military scene, the
Spanish victory over the Moors in the Battle of Tetuan.
San Joaquin: Iloilo

Guiuan (also spelled as Guiguan) was founded by the Jesuits in 1595. It
was handed over to the Augustinians upon instructions from the Spanish colonial
government due to the Jesuits Suppression in 1768. It was then transferred to
the Franciscans in 1795 but due to lack of priests, Father Miguel Pérez, the first
Franciscan priest of Guiuan was only assigned in 1804.
La Inmaculada Concepcion: Guiuan, Estern Samar

Due to Typhoon Haiyan, all of its original retablo, roof (dated
1700s) and other church relics were unfortunately damaged
Only the stone walls and bell tower remained standing.
Restoration of the church is on-going under the
supervision of the National Museum of the Philippines.

The Jesuits started evangelizing the town of Maribojoc
(originally Malabojoc) as a mission station in the early 1600s.It was built in the
settlement along the Abatan River at Viga, now part of Antequera, including a
church built by Father Gabriel Sánchez. The parish was founded in 1767 or 1768.
Parroquia dela Santa Cruz: Maribojoc, Bohol

 The church of Maribojoc resembled a cross or cruciform with a
low, four-sided pyramidical roof and octagonal cupola.
 Its façade was simply decorated by narrow pilasters and niches of
saints
 The belltower of Maribojoc had seven bells and two windows with
clock faces. One of the clocks, installed on October 15, 1893 during
the term of Father Lucas Martínez, had an inscription of "José
Altonaga", indicating that it came from a well-known company in
Manila during the late 19th century.
 Maribojoc had five intricately carved Neo-Gothic retablos in
the sanctuary and transepts

Coral-stone design

The Jesuits established the parish of Loon on June 22, 1753 under the
patronage of the Our Lady of Light, locally known as Birhen sa Kasilac.It is believed
that the first Jesuit church was located in the downtown area
called Napo (formerly the town's center) along the sea.The center, including the
church, was moved in the upper portion called Moto due to pirate raids.
Nuestra Senora de la Luz: Loon, Bohol

The church forms a wide rectangular plan with an
internal transept and a crossing surmounted by a quandrangular
pyramid.
Inside the church, the narthex with azulejos flooring has a
ceiling painting known as "The Entry into Jerusalem".
There are three neogothic retablos in Loon:
one retablo-mayor and two side retablos in each side
of the transept. Located in the sanctuary is the
beautifully carved retablo-mayor which houses the
image of the patroness, Nuestra Señora de la Luz in
the central niche.

The Jesuits, the first evangelizers of the Baclayon, planted the first seed
of Christianity in Bohol upon the request of Doña Catalina de Bolaños, mother of
the encomendero of Bohol island, Pedro de Gamboa to Father Antonio Sedeno,
mission superior of Leyte and Samar.
Immaculada Concepcion de la Vergen Maria: Baclayon, Bohol

A Baroque and Neoclassical pulpit made in the 1870s is located on the
right side (epistle) of the church, facing the altar.
The retablo mayor has inscription of the Jesuit
motto, Ad maiorem Dei gloriam which gave the idea that
the Jesuits left Baclayon with this church altar.
The church, built out of coral stones, is a cross shaped (cruciform) church
with its juncture or crossing surmounted by a pyramidal wall.
The facade is simply designed with its upper half hidden by an
extended choir loft which houses an 1824 pipe organ.

It was elevated to a parish on October 31, 1690, based on the decision of
Father Francisco de Zamora, Provincial of the Augustinians, as a result of the
increasing number of Christians in the area. The decision was implemented upon
the appointment of Father Nicolás de la Cuadra as its first parish priest on April 5,
1692.
Patrocinio de Santa Maria: Boljoon, Cebu

The church is a fortress church, built of coral stones and located on a hill
near the sea. It originally served as a watchtower for possible Moro raids.
The church is known for its original terra cotta roof tiles and its distinct
folk art or Filipino Baroque style, predominantly on its choir screen and
pulpit.
Twenty-eight pillar support the 2-metre (6.6 ft) thick walls made
of mortarand lime.
 Its ceiling paintings are the work of Miguel Villareal, a native of
Boljoon. The three gates and the walls of the church are made
of coral stones and were constructed from 1802 to 1808 under the
auspices of Father Bermejo
The main retablo is in pseudo-baroque rococo with gold lead highlights
and polychrome accents.

After the establishment of the Jesuit mission in Bohol, Father Juan de
Torres, SJ, moved to the community along the Loboc River in late 1596 to establish
a second mission station. The first church, made of wood, was built by the people
of the area on a site called Calvario, Sawang, near the location of the present-day
church. It was dedicated under the patronage of Saint Michael the Archangel
San Pedro: Loboc, Bohol

The coral stone church follows a cruciform plan, with a sunken
pyramidal roof on its crossing. As a church built by the Jesuits,
exterior walls of the church have the Jesuit insignia and icons of an
angel's wing and head.
The interior of the church is adorned with ceiling
paintings by Canuto Avila and his sons, Ricardo and Ray
Francia, created from May 1926 to July 1927, and
retouched by Cris Naparota in 1995
The inner baroque façade, which is part of the 1734 church
built by the Jesuits, is decorated with pilasters, capitals,
blind niches and volutes
San Pedro: Loboc, Bohol

Lazi (formerly Tigbawan) became an independent parish from Siquijor on August
8, 1857. The present stone church was built in 1884 by Filipino artisans followed
by the bell tower in the following year
San Isisdro Labrador: Lazi, Siquijor

The construction of the convent was made
with coral stones and hardwood, commenced in 1887
and completed in 1891.
The church is built of sea stones and wood.It belongs to
the neoclassical style. It has two pulpits and has retained its
original retablo and wood florings.

The first church of Jasaan was built out of lime from 1723 to 1830 under
the supervision of Fr. Ramos Cabas, parish priest
in sitio Kabitauganin barangay Aplaya. The first church is currently a ruins and a
"cotta" or fortification is visible on the low hill near the highway.
La Inmaculada Concepcion: Jasaan, Misamis Oriental

The church of Jasaan falls under Barn Style Baroque with originally a tri-
partite partition. It spans 150 ft long and 60 ft wide.
The brick wall on all sides about 20 ft high and almost 4 ft thick. The
portal area leads to two semi-arched openings to the choir loft area.
The church is flanked by square towers to a level above the apex of
the pediment.
Significant church portions includes the original brick paving, neo-
Gothic retablo, and ceiling woodwork (reminiscent of basket weave).
The church has two bell towers containing 4 bells in totality. The
oldest of the four bells is dated 1807 while the largest is cast
"Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion de Jasaan Año
1854."

The town of Jimenez was originally established by the Augustinian Recollects in
1829 and with Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary as its patron saint. The present
church, built mostly from hewn coral stone, was erected in the 19th century on a
site previously settled by the Subanons, a local tribe. The erection of the church
structure is attributed to Father Roque Azcona between the years 1862 to 1863.
The church was believed to have been completed in the late 1880s.
San Bautista: Jimenez, Misamis Occidental

 The church is predominantly Baroque in architecture with
features reminiscent of the Renaissance style
 It features a portico with three semicircular arched entrances
lined on top with a parapet.
 The interiors of the church is reportedly one of the best
preserved interior of a Roman Catholic church in Mindanao.
It features a painting done in 1898 and portions made
of tabique pampango, a local version of a dry wall using
panels of interwoven slats or branches and covered with
lime.

Philippine colonial churches

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